DuPage water editorial was too late

March 26, 2010|By Tribune staff reporter

Your DuPage Water Commission editorial Wednesday was three years too late.

DuPage United spoke publicly to the DuPage Water Commission (DWC) on March 3, 2007, opposing their plan to give away $40 million to Charter Members. We pushed them to earmark that money (accumulated through excessive taxes) for the last four bond payments, raise the water rate to a sustainable level, and abate the unneeded sales tax. Before we spoke that night, Commissioner Murphy was quoted saying our words would "fall on deaf ears." DuPage United continued to speak at public meetings (filling the room with citizens), hoping at least the media would listen.

DuPage United contacted every County Board member, State Representative, and State Senator in DuPage (including Dan Cronin) to warn them about the dangerous fiscal mistake DWC was about to make, but no action was taken.

The Tribune was contacted by DuPage United many times in 2007 and has done some superficial reporting on DWC over the years.

With not one politician or reporter willing to confront DWC, DuPage United kept our website and membership updated as the DWC operating losses mounted each year.

Now everyone seems surprised, and you are writing about the prudence of folding the DWC into county government. DuPage United also supports this legislation, but where were you all when this whole mess could have been exposed and averted?

Perhaps in the future citizen input will be encouraged rather than dismissed.